Tshwane acting city manager tests positive for Covid-19

The Tshwane acting city manager has gone into self-isolation after testing positive for Covid-19.

In a statement on Friday, the City said acting city manager Mmaseabata Mutlaneng and the group head in his office, Msizi Myeza, recently took ill and decided to have a Covid-19 test.

Their results came back positive, spokesperson Selby Bokaba said.

“Both Mutlaneng and Myeza are self-isolating at their respective homes and are responding well to treatment. They are confident that they’ll return to full fitness soon,” Bokaba said.

Mutlaneng has also pleaded with City employees and residents of the capital to strictly adhere to the Covid-19 protocols in a bid to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, especially as the country sees an increase in confirmed cases, which has been labelled as a second wave.

“We need to destigmatise this disease and speak openly about it with a view to encouraging those that have tested positive that they, too, can conquer it. Some of our colleagues that tested positive previously came back stronger than ever before,” Mutlaneng said.

“Let’s continue to practice the golden rules of regularly washing our hands, wearing face cloth masks that cover the nose and mouth and observe physical distancing. Together, we can contain the spread of this pandemic by adhering to the Covid-19 protocols and avoid attending the so-called ‘super-spreader’ events,” he said.

By 16 December, Gauteng had recorded 249 181 confirmed cases of Covid-19, as well as 5 135 Covid-19-related deaths.

In Tshwane, 540 new confirmed cases were recorded on 16 December, with the capital having recorded a total of 57 718 confirmed cases to date.

The province also said that a total of 1 534 people were currently hospitalised in both public and private facilities throughout Gauteng.

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